Kiernan walked through the heavy grasses with the silence of a shadow. The only tell sign of the handsome leopard was the brilliant tip of his tail that was colored like the sunset above. It was rather quiet tonight though and the leopard had to pause. Would it be best to go find the leopardess that he had wandered into as a form of amusement again? I don't know if I feel like gaining more bruises tonight though~Maybe he had just lost his charm then?
Normally he found ladies fighting after him, but then again it had been a while. Maybe he was just losing his touch with them? Not that he cared about many other females anymore...just bothering the one was plenty of amusement for him. Shaking his head the leopard just chuckled before moving on to slip through the grasses and into a stream that cut through the roguelands.
Safi’s amusements with his lioness had ended shortly after weaning their daughter. She hadn’t seen the leopon in a romantic light, much as he hadn’t seen her as such, but he had never seen a female drop off a cub like she. This hadn’t been in the bargain, so she had explained, and now he was left raising his little one on his own.
With the little one sleeping just close by in a bed of tall grass, Safi made his way to sit by the stream. He had heard stories from his brothers and father of males as popular with the ladies as himself siring bastards they rarely spoke to. If only Safi could be so lucky. He adored his cubs, of course, but was it his curse to raise almost every one of them on his own? He may as well have birthed them for all of his troubles.
Of course he quirked a brow at seeing the leopard so close by. If he hadn’t been used to seeing living shadows he may not have noticed, but with a sister and a mother as dark as the night itself it came to him naturally.
Sinking a bit into the water made Kiernan sigh with relief. It always felt delicious to take an evening swim like this after a smoldering day. The ripples in the water though didn't keep his attention for long as sight of the solid white leopon took his attention, "Comin' in for a swim?"
His amber gaze glimmered teasingly towards the leopon, "Or just staring over your life in the waters?" Something about the stranger just seemed down, like there was a heaviness near him. Either way it probably didn't matter to Kiernana as he settled more in the water. Going beneath the surface to cool his own head the leopard only resurfaced a bit later with a sigh of relief.
Now that felt good on an aching body.
“If I were my parents, I’d be saying the later. As it stands I just needed a break, so a swim doesn’t sound too damn bad.”
Safi slid into the water as if he were a born swimmer and let it swamp up around his mane. The thick tresses loosened, free floating in the water as if they were fish themselves. Someday he would teach his daughter how to swim. That is, if she ever got big enough to do it and not be swept away in the current.
He sighed. Safi anchored his paw on a rock and tipped back onto his back to relax. The stream wasn’t anything to get antsy about predators swallowing whole, but it was just big enough that he didn’t scrap his back on the bottom. “So, you live around here?”
The leopard chuckled, "Sounds like a fun fam." He wouldn't have wanted to waste his own time just mooping about the waters. The stream was here for refreshment and enjoyment, not to just be stared into. Though sometimes it was awfully tempting to stare at his reflection...the thought made Kiernan grin. Nah, he wasn't that vain.
Watching the leopon relax in the waters Kiernan shook his head in amusement, "You seem to be an expert on this." Pulling his body up on a similar rock the leopard let his legs float behind him, "Live around here?" He shook his head, "Can't afford to live in one spot...too many admirers would cave in on me." Teasingly the leopard laughed, "I get bored too easily out here so roaming works best. What about you?"
“You have no idea.” Safi smirked, eyes blissfully closed. He remembered doing this as an adolescent with his mother. It was the one place he could be almost sure his cubs wouldn’t jump on him. Well, all except for Xabryel that is, and the thought soured his mood.
The leopon snorted. “A Casanova, huh? Excuse me for being the wrong gender and sexuality to really appreciate your luster.” Even as he said it he had to grin. Safi couldn’t say much against the male since he himself had those thoughts from time to time. Granted, more so when he was younger, but still.
“I’m a roamer by trade, but my family stays pretty stationary. They can’t afford to move much, as there is a lot of them. Some are old, some are too young; it gets complicated. They’re like a pride of their own, really.” And with a grumble, added, “Bugs the s**t out of me, honestly.”
Kiernan laughed at the reply, "Hey I like this one." He waved a paw lazily in the leopon's directions, "I'm sure you have similar troubles too, but then again I'm not a female so i wouldn't understand the appeal myself." He was jealous of the leopon though something about having a mane was always dashing. It wouldn't be a surprise to him if this stranger had his own similar problems.
"Kiernan though. They call me Kiernan more than a 'casanova'. " Lazily the leopard stretched as he watched the leopon, "A group of rogues big enough to be their own pride? I'm surprised that they don't get into scuffles then. Too many out here is always going to cause a fight with the neighbors."
"Isn't that family for ya?" Kiernan shook his head, "That's why I roam solo. Too much trouble havin' a load to worry about."
Safi just laughed. “You hit the mark. They get into a lot of scraps individually, but it isn’t so bad with the group. They’re generally smart enough to stay away from the big prides.” They had a bigger problem to worry about, anyway. With his psychotic grandmother gunning for them, something bad could happen at any time. He’d take a full on pridal assault any day.
At least then he would have to worry about another of his daughters being cubnapped.
“Guess I should introduce myself too, huh? I’m Safi, not much more to it than that.” He rotated his shoulders in the water. “Can’t say as I blame you. I tried it once. Thought I was infertile like most hybrids and then bam, got a cheetah pregnant. Mkodi is a freaky a** Goddess with these blessings. “He shook his head. “Been tied down as a single dad ever since. I go out for a bit and they draw me back. It has its perks, though. Nothing like being a dad.”
"Until you know the family is large enough to take on a full pride." Kiernan chuckled himself at the thought. He would much rather stick to his shadows than be a fighter...though his gaze id light up at the idae of a fighter he knew. Maybe reasons like those was why the girl was so stiff? Always ready to fight something... The leopard shook his head, "As long as I trust my paws to be fast enough I'm good without the scraps thank you."
The leopard's gaze widened slightly in curiousity, "I heard about you hybrids being lackluster in the family makin' part, but to meet a father leopon..." He smirked, "Blessings definitely have their ups and downs." The leopard shook his head, "I salute you then Safi. I don't think I could handle havin' those little paws to worry about."
“Yeah, see, that’s what I thought too. After…oh,” Safi held up his paw and started counting, then shifted to his toes to finish it off. “Seven kids, though, it starts to lose its novelty.” At first he had been so angry to be a hybrid. He’d thought he wouldn’t find love because he was broken. Then he’d found and fallen for Mani, but she left him with three kids. Apparently you didn’t need love to be a dad.
“It takes getting used to. My first litter is barely younger than I am, since they were born right as I matured. They’re…a little wild, but you temper, they temper, and it all checks out.”
Kiernan faked letting go of the rock to sink in the water before coming back up dramatically, "Se-seven?" The leopard shook his head, "No thank you. I would have stopped after the first one." He grinned, "I would definitely say so." To find out that he coudl suddenly have kids, to suddenly having seven cubs? It sounded like they were at different ages and possibly with different females...but still. Kiernana couldn't think of being a father like that. A single one none the less!
"I would say it takes getting used too." The leopard sighed, "Especially without a lady to calm them down for ya. I'd much rather worry with the huntin' for them than the actual raising." Could be because he never had a father himself, but the leopard just oculdn't imagine a normal family cycle. Something about it just seemed...odd.
Safi opened his eyes and rolled his head over to look at the leopard. “Can’t really be picky in my situation. My family helped out a lot with my youngest son, though they pretty much spoiled him. Here’s hoping my daughter isn’t in for that same ride.”
She wouldn’t be raised by Lulu that was for sure. Isith had taken Xabryel from him, turned his own son against him and for that he would never forgive her.
He switched his movements around until he was back on solid footing. "It's been nice chatting with you. If you need a place to stay for the night I'd head up North. It's pretty warm this time of year. My girl's probably waking up now; pretty attached as it is."
Safi made his way for the bank. When he was on dry land she shook out his fur, and turned back to see the leopard. "I'd watch out if I were you. Fatherhood has a way of creeping up on you." With a smirk he started off on his own way.
"Thank you."
Kiernan just watched as the leopon left away. Seems like the guy has a lot on his plate. Shaking his head quietly the leopard slipped back into the water. Fatherhood him? Hah! But the idea of heading north was nice...perhaps then he would go that way and find something there. Maybe.
(WC: 1847)